Calibrachoa plant named ‘Cal Mang’

ABSTRACT

A new  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Cal Mang,’ particularly distinguished by peachy-red toned flowers, is very floriferous, has a strong root system, a full habit that is free branching, and is bred for early flowering under shorter day lengths.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Calibrachoaspp.

Varietal denomination: ‘Cal Mang’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Calibrachoa, botanically known asCalibrachoa spp. and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘CalMang.’

‘Cal Mang’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar‘Cal Mang’ has peachy-red toned flowers, is very floriferous, has astrong root system, a full habit that is free branching, and is bred forearly flowering under shorter day lengths.

‘Cal Mang’ originated from a hybridization in a controlled breedingprogram in Gilroy, Calif. U.S.A. The female parent was an patentedhybrid seedling identified as ‘Cal Goldey,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,303,with gold color. ‘Cal Goldey’ has lighter green leaves, a more uprighthabit, and is later to flower than ‘Cal Mang.’

The male parent of ‘Cal Mang’ was an unpatented hybrid seedlingidentified as ‘1295’ with apricot color. ‘1295’ has larger leaves, islater to flower, and less floriferous than ‘Cal Mang.’

‘Cal Mang’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross in July 2005 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif.U.S.A.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Cal Mang’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings taken from the initial selection in July 2005in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. U.S.A. The pollinationtook place in September 2004 and the seed sowing in April 2004 all inGilroy, Calif., U.S.A.

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in July 2005 in Gilroy, Calif. U.S.A., and continuingthereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for ‘Cal Mang’ are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘Cal Mang’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in Canada onDec. 24, 2007. ‘Cal Mang’ has not been made publicly available more thanone year prior to the filing of this application.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘Cal Mang’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type. The photographic drawing shows threeflowering potted plants of the new variety in a hanging basket and aclose-up of the flowers. The hanging basket was grown and photographedin Hillscheid, Germany in the summer of 2006. The close-up plant wasgrown and photographed in Gilroy, Calif. U.S.A. in July 2008.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The measurements were taken in April 2008, in Gilroy, Calif. U.S.A. onplants that were growing in one gallon pots. These plants were about 4–5months old.

Color Chart used: Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describeplants grown outside in Gilroy, Calif. U.S.A. The following traits havebeen repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristicsof the new variety. The combination of these characteristicsdistinguishes this Calibrachoa as a new and distinct variety.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘CAL MANG’ AND A SIMILARVARIETY ‘Cal Mang’ ‘Cal Peachy’ Flower color Red-pink base colorOrange-red base color Flower size Larger Smaller Stem thickness ThinnerThicker Leaf size Larger leaves Smaller leaves

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Mounding and decumbent, well            branched and a full plant.        -   Plant height.—10–13 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—11–14 cm.        -   Plant width.—36–39 cm.-   Foliage:    -   -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 146B.        -   Lower surface.—Closest to RHS 146A but less yellow.        -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—Closest to RHS 147A but            lighter.        -   Lower surface.—Closest to RHS 146A but less yellow.        -   Length.—3.0–3.7 cm.        -   Width.—1.1–1.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Base shape.—Acuminate.        -   Apex shape.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture.—Sparse glandular hairs.        -   Color of veins, upper and lower surfaces.—RHS 144A.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 144A.        -   Petiole length.—0.1–0.3 cm.        -   Diameter of petiole.—0.1 cm.        -   Texture.—Sparse glandular hairs.-   Stem:    -   -   Quantity of main branches.—30–40.        -   Quantity of secondary branches.—4–6 per basal branch.        -   Color of stem.—Between RHS 144A and B.        -   Length of stem.—24–27 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.15–0.2 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—0.5–1.7 cm.        -   Texture.—Glandular hairs of various sizes.        -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 146C.        -   Length of pedicel.—2.5–3.7 cm.        -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.1 cm.        -   Texture of pedicel.—Glandular hairs of various sizes.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Flowers solitary in upper leaf axis; flowers face            mainly horizontally, mostly 5-fused lobes forming a funnel            form flower.        -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—Approximately 50.        -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—About 7–9 days.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Duration of flowering.—Continuous flowering throughout the            Summer.        -   Immature, color petals, upper surface.—RHS 54A base color;            RHS 46A; RHS 187B mid veins, RHS 179c veins.        -   Color petals, lower surface.—RHS 36C; RHS N199B mid veins.        -   Mature, color petals, upper surface.—RHS 55B base color,            fading to RHS N155B; RHS 55B flush around the margins; RHS            46B, edged with RHS 37 A to B at the corolla opening; RHS            179B mid veins, RHS 179C veins.        -   Color petals, lower surface.—RHS 36C; RHS N199B mid veins.        -   Flower horizontal diameter.—3.7–4.1 cm.        -   Flower height (vertical).—3.6–4.3 cm.        -   Apex shape.—Slightly retuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Waviness of petals.—Slight.        -   Petal lobation.—Moderate.        -   Petal texture.—Papillose, but surfaces.        -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 7A; RHS 165D veins.        -   Corolla tube color outside.—RHS 7D; RHS 199C veins.        -   Corolla tube length.—1.5–2.0 cm.-   Bud (just before opening):    -   -   Color.—RHS 160A; RHS 200B but a little more grey veins and            petal margins.        -   Length.—1.0–2.3 cm.        -   Width.—0.3–0.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblong.        -   Number of sepals.—5.        -   Color of sepals, outer surface.—RHS 146B, slightly lighter            basally.        -   Color of sepals, inner surface.—RHS 146A, slightly lighter            basally.        -   Length of sepals.—1.5–1.7cm.        -   Width of sepals.—0.4 cm.        -   Sepal shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex shape.—Obtuse.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Glandular hairs of various sizes.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistil.—1.        -   Length.—1.4 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS 1B.        -   Style length.—1.3 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 144B.        -   Number of stamens.—5.        -   Color of filaments.–RHS 4C.        -   Length filaments.—1.1–1.4 cm.        -   Color of pollen.—RHS 13B.        -   Pollen amount.—Moderate.        -   Fertility/seed set.—Not observed on this hybrid.-   Disease/pest resistance: Disease resistance or susceptibility has    not been observed on this hybrid.

1. A new and distinct variety of Calibrachoa plant named ‘Cal Mang,’substantially as illustrated and described herein.